7 Best Barbershop Colognes (2023) Full Review
Fresh and masculine.
These are some of the best aromatic fragrances for gentlemen.
Here are the seven best barbershop colognes for men. Many have fresh citrus and aromatic openings with slightly woody bases. Don’t be surprised if they remind you of high-quality aftershave. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
#7 – Prada Luna Rossa
The first few minutes are invigorating freshness. This comes from a blend of citrus and lavender. The juiciness of the orange is an excellent contrast to the mellow lavender. Quickly after the first spray is a dose of spearmint, it slowly gains dominance over time.
The mint gains spice in the mid. Luna Rossa was already fresh. Now it is amplified with these additional green qualities. At this point, the scent is always light and airy.
Then comes amber. Usually, this would “weigh down” a scent, but in this case, it doesn’t. Instead, it has powdery/soapy quality that retains the supreme freshness from before.
Amber/ambroxan is getting increasingly more prominent in the dry down. While still retaining its airiness. Light lavender and nuances of mint linger in the background. This trio is the scent for the rest of the wear.
Luna Rossa lasts seven hours on the skin with light and consistent projection. It pushes two feet for the entire wear. This is mostly spring and summer wear. It can be worn on the warmer days of fall but spray heavier. As for occasions, it is all.
#6 – Acqua di Parma Colonia
The opening is a blast of vividly authentic lemon and orange. It is mature and sophisticated. It feels like something a 1920s gentleman with a fedora hat on would wear. It soon develops into a semi-woody note enhanced by fresh herbal aromatics.
After a while, the top notes still linger with the addition of soft floral notes. They are clean and subtle, making the fragrance unisex but still on the masculine side. Into the dry down, it is a woody and earthy base with a soapy nature. It emphasizes cleanliness and has an almost aftershave-type feel.
A simple and mature scent. It leans towards an aftershave rather than a men’s cologne.
Colonia EDC lasts five to six hours on the skin with light projection. It maintains a one to two-foot scent bubble for most of the wear. This is exclusively spring and summer wear but for all occasions.
#5 – Penhaligon Sartorial
This is a complex scent but the most unique barbershop cologne. The opening starts light and floral with Neroli. Often Neroli has a citric, orangey nature, but there’s none of that here. The freshness of the fragrance is provided by an ozonic violet leaf.
In the background are a trio of spices, both warm and fresh. Cardamom and black pepper are the most prominent. They definitely grab attention but are refined enough to never become assaultive.
The intensity of the spices dies down in a few minutes. This leaves room for a unique touch. A combination of aldehyde and metallic notes combine to create an aroma reminiscent of flat iron steam.
Sartorial gets simpler at this point. There is a touch of honey sweetness, a subtle leathery depth, and a hefty dose of lavender as the mid develops. I smell other general florals in the background, but I can’t tell what they are with the intensity of lavender.
The dry down is a variety of woods with lingering fresh accents, aromatic lavender, and the unique steam accord. This is what you’ll smell for the rest of the wear.
Sartorial lasts ten hours on the skin with moderate but consistent projection. The first four to five hours, it pushes out two to three before receding, never becoming a skin scent. This can be worn for all seasons and occasions. However, spray it lighter in the summer and heavier in the winter.
#4 – Chanel Egoiste Platinum
Egoiste platinum is all about its herbal and aromatic nature. The opening is equal parts greens, Neroli, and lavender. None of this trio is dominant over the others, but all work in unison to create a fresh soap aroma. Your typical squeaky clean barbershop vibe.
After 10-15 minutes, the green and herbal nature is amplified. Followed by the addition of spicy and woody nuances. This takes the scent in a drier and more outdoorsy direction. Yet, it’s never overpowering or goes as far as any of the preceding Chanel fragrances.
Vetiver is the dominant woody note. While still retaining a degree of greenness. Touches of cedar and sandalwood linger in the background. Both are supported by woody notes.
Fresh and soapy lavender has carried into the dry down. Accompanied by equal parts of woody notes and a nuance of greenness.
Egoiste Platinum lasts seven hours on the skin with above-average to moderate projection. It pushes out an arm’s length for the first two to three hours before receding, never becoming a skin scent. This is all-season and occasion versatile; apply heavier in the winter.
#3 – Tom Ford Beau de Jour EDP
A hefty dose of lavender leads the opening with a degree of brightness. It is undoubtedly prominent but not overpowering; I find it quite soothing. Rather than leave a scent trail off you, it envelops you with a calming, masculine cloud.
After a while, Beau de Jour EDP adds mint and geranium. Both come across as fresh and slightly spicy. Together the pair have a subtle herbaceous quality that works perfectly with lavender.
The top notes mix and mingle until the lavender loses strength. Green basil fills the void. Amplifying the already subtle herbal qualities and fresh spice. At this point, all notes are equally split, each accounting for 25% of the smell. The notes are in equal parts, yet freshness is emphasized.
Lavender moves further in the background as the scent dries down. While this happens, a patchouli and amber backbone is building in its place. They give the lingering green, earthy spices a decent structure to project off for the rest of the wear.
Beau de Jour EDP lasts 10 – 12 hours on the skin with above-average projection. It pushes out an arm’s length the first few hours before receding, never becoming a skin scent. This is all-season and occasions versatile but spray heavier in the depths of winter.
#2 – Houbigant Fougere Royal
The opening starts clean and zingy. The most prominent note is lavender with green tinges in the background. The lavender has the traditional barbershop, slightly old-school smell. The entire wear won’t be present, but it starts the barbershop theme in the fragrance right from the get-go.
The green tinges are just that, nothing special about them. They are slightly fresh, mainly from the bergamot in the top notes. However, I do not smell a specific bergamot note in the entire fragrance.
As Fougere Royale develops, more and more scent development happens. A noticeable degree of sweetness, subtle citrus, and spices linger in the background. All are faint and difficult to tell which note is specifically projecting which.
The greenness from the opening develops into a more prominent oak moss. Supported by the three aforementioned accents, with the spices being the most prominent.
The dry-down is the best part. It has a very fougere nature. If you are unfamiliar, this means it’s green and “outdoorsy” with sweet and woody nuances. I don’t smell any woody notes. Yet, I smell a heavy dose of greenness with the sweet nuances that have carried over.
Fougere Royal lasts six hours on the skin with gentlemanly projection. It maintains a two-foot ambiance for most of the wear. This is all-occasions wearable but only for spring, summer, and fall wear.
#1 – MDCI Parfums Invasion Barbare
One of the most simple barbershop fragrances but the best blend of notes.
The opening is led by bright bergamot and grapefruit. They grab attention but never become overpowering. Within a few minutes is a vibrant lavender with a minty edge. Think of it as almost herbal. In the background is a prominent duo of spices.
Cardamom is mostly warm and the strongest of the two. Thyme is less spicy and has a heavier emphasis on its aromatic nature. The mid will continually get warmer and more aromatic.
The dry down is all about aromatic patchouli but has no woody tinges. In the background are faint additions of vanilla and musk. They help break up the monotony of the aromatics and give an alluring touch. The rest of the wear is based on aromatics and spices.
It lasts 10 – 12 hours on the skin with great projection. The first four hours push out an arm’s length or more. After this period, it recedes but maintains a moderate ambiance for the rest of the wear. This is all-season and occasion versatile but spray heavier in the winter.
Final Words
Barbershop colognes are some of my favorite genres of fragrances. They are all easy to wear and mostly versatile. I know one common complaint of many men is men’s fragrances are too “perfumey.” However, with these seven fragrances, you can smell outstanding and maintain your masculinity.
I’d love to hear your favorite barbershop cologne in the comments.